A historically deep low pressure system sent a very strong cold front into a marginally unstable, but very sheared environment. A line of storms formed west of the area overnight and moved into the region during the peak heating hours of the day.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS ILN wrote it up.
A historically deep low pressure system sent a very strong cold front into a marginally unstable, but very sheared environment. A line of storms formed west of the area overnight and moved into the region during the peak heating hours of the day. Severe wind gusts occurred along the entire line with multiple tornadoes occurring around the region as well.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Wilmington, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 26, 8:38 AM EST, 2 hours 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
938 AM EDT TUE OCT 26 2010
.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION TODAY....BRINGING HIGH
WINDS AND THUNDERSTORMS. DRIER AIR WILL MOVE IN BEHIND THE FRONT
TONIGHT. A SECONDARY COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY...
USHERING IN COOLER TEMPERATURES FOR THURSDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
TEMPERATURES ARE JUMPING AHEAD OF THE CDFNT/CONVECTION THIS
MORNING. UPPED TEMPS IN THE W A CAT OR TWO TO THE MID 70S. REST OF
FCST LOOKS GOOD...INCLUDING TIMING OF CONVECTION.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY/...
WINDS WILL SUBSIDE BELOW HIGH WIND CRITERIA AND THUNDERSTORMS
WILL END AS THE FRONT MOVES EAST OF THE AREA THIS EVENING...BUT IT
WILL REMAIN BREEZY OVERNIGHT. A CYCLONIC FLOW WILL PERSIST ON
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AS LOW PRESSURE TRAVELS SLOWLY ACROSS
SOUTHERN CANADA. WINDS WILL STAY STRONG WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH
POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. EXPECT DRY WEATHER WITH PARTLY TO
MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOVE NORMAL ON
WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS AROUND 70. AFTER THE SECONDARY COLD FRONT
MOVES THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY...HIGHS WILL BE IN THE 50S ON
THURSDAY.
&&
.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
SECONDARY SURFACE TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH
THE REGION ON THURSDAY. THIS WILL BRING A SURGE OF COOLER AIR WHICH
WILL LAST THROUGH FRIDAY WHEN HIGH PRESSURE STARTS TO BUILD IN.
SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BECOME ESTABLISHED ONCE AGAIN OVER THE WEEKEND
WHICH WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO REBOUND BACK ABOVE NORMAL. A WEAK
FRONT IS FORECAST TO SAG SOUTHWARDS ON MONDAY BUT AT THIS TIME IT
APPEARS THAT THIS WILL MOVE THROUGH DRY. THE BOUNDARY MAY EVENTUALLY
BECOME A FOCUS FOR PRECIPITATION BUT THAT WOULD BE BEYOND THIS
PERIOD.
&&
.AVIATION /14Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROF TO TAKE ON A NEGATIVE TILT AND PIVOT INTO
THE GREAT LAKES TODAY. EXPECT AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS AND WINDS THIS
MORNING WITH THE PRESSURE GRADIENT INCREASING IN CONTINUED
SOUTHWEST FLOW PATTERN. A PERIOD OF MVFR CIGS IS LKLY EARLY THIS
MORNING. A STRONG COLD FRONT TO SEEP THRU THE OHIO VALLEY THIS
AFTN. HAVE THIS FRONT INTO WESTERN OHIO 18-19Z AND TO THE CMH TAF
SITES AROUND 21Z. MVFR CIGS MAY BECOME VFR FOR A PERIOD BY MIDDAY
BEFORE MVFR CIGS RE-DEVELOP DURG THE DAY. MODELS ARE SHOWING A NARROW
TONGUE OF HIGHER INSTABILITIES ALONG THE FRONT...SO EXPECT A LINE
OF SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS TO PUSH WEST TO EAST ACROSS
THE AREA IN THE 18Z-22Z TIME FRAME. WITH 3-5K FOOT WINDS INCREASING
INTO THE 40 TO 60 KNOT RANGE THROUGH LATE MORNING...GUSTY WINDS
WILL BE AN ISSUE TODAY. EXPECT PREVAILING SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20-25
KNOTS WITH WIND GUSTS OF 45 KNOTS LIKELY. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO
DIMINISH LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY EVENING AS THE FRONT SHIFTS OFF TO
THE EAST.
OUTLOOK...NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EXPECTED.
&&
.ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR OHZ026-034-
035-042>046-051>056-060>065-070>074-077>082-088.
KY...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR KYZ089>100.
IN...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR INZ050-058-
059-066-073>075-080.
&&
SYNOPSIS...CONIGLIO
NEAR TERM...SITES
SHORT TERM...CONIGLIO
LONG TERM...
AVIATION...ARHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 944 AM EDT TUE OCT 26 2010 INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ026-034-035-042>046- 051>056-060>065-070>074-077>082-088-271345- WAYNE-FAYETTE IN-UNION IN-FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO- SWITZERLAND-CARROLL-GALLATIN-BOONE-KENTON-CAMPBELL-OWEN-GRANT- PENDLETON-BRACKEN-ROBERTSON-MASON-LEWIS-HARDIN-MERCER-AUGLAIZE-DARKE- SHELBY-LOGAN-UNION OH-DELAWARE-MIAMI-CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-MADISON- FRANKLIN OH-LICKING-PREBLE-MONTGOMERY-GREENE-FAYETTE OH-PICKAWAY- FAIRFIELD-BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-ROSS-HOCKING-HAMILTON-CLERMONT-BROWN- HIGHLAND-ADAMS-PIKE-SCIOTO- 944 AM EDT TUE OCT 26 2010 ...TORNADO WATCH 722 IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON... ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL INDIANA...SOUTHEAST INDIANA...NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...NORTHERN KENTUCKY...CENTRAL OHIO...MIAMI VALLEY OF OHIO...SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO...SOUTHWEST OHIO AND WEST CENTRAL OHIO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. HIGH WIND WARNING. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA TODAY...PUSHING A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF IT. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE...CONTAINING WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. STRONG GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY WHEN A SECONDARY COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD ACTIVATE AND REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS. SITES
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
1125 AM EDT TUE OCT 26 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1118 AM TSTM WND DMG CONNERSVILLE 39.66N 85.14W
10/26/2010 FAYETTE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN.
&&
JDRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
1140 AM EDT TUE OCT 26 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1135 AM TSTM WND GST 5 NNE KITCHEL 39.76N 84.84W
10/26/2010 M59.00 MPH WAYNE IN AWOS
MEASURED AT RICHMOND AWOS /KRID/
&&
HATZOSThe Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 131 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:40 UTC.
38 thunderstorm wind, 10 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Structural damage occurred to a barn and a house due to damaging thunderstorm winds. Twenty-five power poles were also reported down around the area due to the thunderstorm winds.
Power poles were snapped due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
The tornado touched down in Preble County at 1040 EST and continued into Darke County at 1041 EST before lifting at 1048 EST. The path width was 30 yards. The tornado traveled for 0.29 miles in Preble County and then 4.06 miles in Darke County. The damage was consistent with winds around 80 miles per hour in Preble County and 90 miles per hour in Darke County. The tornado was rated an EF0 in Preble County and an EF1 in Darke County. The tornado touched down initially in open farm land north of Eldorado-Whitewater Road. In this area, some farm fences were covered with corn debris. Minor tree damage was also found in this area. The tornado likely lifted for a brief time before touching down in Darke County west of Highway 726, destroying a barn. The tornado continued across Highway 726 where it hit a residence on Preble County-Butler-Township Road. At this location, outbuildings were destroyed and significant tree damage occurred. The tornado continued across farm fields until glancing another residence along Highway 722 where tree damage and minor outbuilding damage occurred. Several utility poles were also snapped in half. The tornado then continued northeast and hit a residence on Emrick Road where the most significant damage occurred. Windows were broken in the house, there was significant outbuilding damage, and several large and healthy trees were snapped off and uprooted. More damage was found to a residence on Otterbein-Ithaca Road near United States Highway 127. Here, a barn was partially collapsed and several trees were snapped. Roofing material was also removed from the house.
The tornado touched down in Preble County at 1040 EST and continued into Darke County at 1041 EST before lifting at 1048 EST. The path width was 30 yards. The tornado traveled for 0.29 miles in Preble County and then 4.06 miles in Darke County. The damage was consistent with winds around 80 miles per hour in Preble County and 90 miles per hour in Darke County. The tornado was rated an EF0 in Preble County and an EF1 in Darke County. The tornado touched down initially in open farm land north of Eldorado-Whitewater Road. In this area, some farm fences were covered with corn debris. Minor tree damage was also found in this area. The tornado likely lifted for a brief time before touching down in Darke County west of Highway 726, destroying a barn. The tornado continued across Highway 726 where it hit a residence on Preble County-Butler-Township Road. At this location, outbuildings were destroyed and significant tree damage occurred. The tornado continued across farm fields until glancing another residence along Highway 722 where tree damage and minor outbuilding damage occurred. Several utility poles were also snapped in half. The tornado then continued northeast and hit a residence on Emrick Road where the most significant damage occurred. Windows were broken in the house, there was significant outbuilding damage, and several large and healthy trees were snapped off and uprooted. More damage was found to a residence on Otterbein-Ithaca Road near United States Highway 127. Here, a barn was partially collapsed and several trees were snapped. Roofing material was also removed from the house.
Damage from this brief tornado touchdown included a garage door that was blown in and a barn that collapsed. Based on this damage, wind speeds were estimated to be 75 miles per hour.
Trees were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Trees were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Several trees, power poles, and power lines were reported down across the southern half of the county.
The tornado touched down in Auglaize County at 1059 EST and continued into Allen County at 1102 EST before lifting at 1103 EST. The path width was 110 yards in Auglaize County and 20 yards in Allen County. The tornado traveled for 2.53 miles in Auglaize County and then 1.39 miles in Allen County. The damage was consistent with winds around 110 miles per hour in Auglaize County and 75 miles per hour in Allen County. The tornado was rated an EF2 in Auglaize County and an EF0 in Allen County. The tornado initially touched down southwest of Cridersville where the tornado destroyed a barn. The tornado briefly lifted and then touched down in Cridersville. Damage in Cridersville included roofs blown off of houses, a house shifted off of the foundation, a house with major structural damage, and a half collapsed brick gymnasium. Objects were also impaled into the side of buildings. The tornado again briefly lifted and then touched down again in Allen County near McClain Road, north of Hume Road. At this location a quarter of a metal roof was pulled off of a metal barn. Damage estimates in Auglaize County are 230,000 dollars and in Allen County damage estimates are 8,000 dollars.
Trees were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Trees were reported down countywide due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
A roof was partially torn off of an apartment building due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
A trained spotter estimated the wind gust.
Trees were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
A truck was blown sideways due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Two trees were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Trees and power lines were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Trees were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
A roof was torn off of a house due to damaging thunderstorm winds. A few trees were also reported down due to the winds.
A chicken coop was blown 35 yards away due to damaging thunderstorm winds. A few trees were also reported down due to the winds.
Severe barn damage occurred along Ireland Road. Trees were also reported down along Ireland and Cuba Roads due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
One barn was destroyed and another barn was damaged due to thunderstorm winds. Trees were also reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
The tornado touched down in Clinton County at 1224 EST and continued into Fayette County at 1224 EST before lifting at 1225 EST. The path width was 200 yards. The tornado traveled for 3.81 miles in Clinton County and then 0.14 miles in Fayette County. The damage was consistent with winds around 85 miles per hour. The tornado touched down just west of State Route 72, about one mile northwest of the intersection with State Route 729. The tornado was observed on the ground from two separate residences near the initial touch down location. Four utility poles were observed to be broken and briefly suspended in the tornado near one of the residences. An occupant of the other residence observed debris circulating immediately east of State Route 72. At one location east of State Route 72, the tornado pulled a large metal door from a barn and destroyed a portion of the metal roof. Fragments of the roof were carried for approximately a quarter of a mile to the northeast. Field debris was also found wedged between the wall boards of the barn. The tornado continued northeast and next crossed Hornbeam Road approximately three-fourths of a mile northwest of the intersection with State Route 729. Damage on the east side of Hornbeam Road included a horse trailer that was picked up and carried about 100 feet. Numerous trees were also snapped on this same property. The tornado then traveled northeast across open and harvested fields until arriving at Greenfield-Sabina Road, approximately three-fourths of a mile northwest of the intersection with Snow Hill Road. Damage on the east side of the road included damage to a metal roof and a wall of a livestock barn. There was also roof and siding damage to two residences nearby. The concentrated damage path appeared to end just past this location in far western Fayette County.
The tornado touched down in Clinton County at 1224 EST and continued into Fayette County at 1224 EST before lifting at 1225 EST. The path width was 200 yards. The tornado traveled for 3.81 miles in Clinton County and then 0.14 miles in Fayette County. The damage was consistent with winds around 85 miles per hour. The tornado touched down just west of State Route 72, about one mile northwest of the intersection with State Route 729. The tornado was observed on the ground from two separate residences near the initial touch down location. Four utility poles were observed to be broken and briefly suspended in the tornado near one of the residences. An occupant of the other residence observed debris circulating immediately east of State Route 72. At one location east of State Route 72, the tornado pulled a large metal door from a barn and destroyed a portion of the metal roof. Fragments of the roof were carried for approximately a quarter of a mile to the northeast. Field debris was also found wedged between the wall boards of the barn. The tornado continued northeast and next crossed Hornbeam Road approximately three-fourths of a mile northwest of the intersection with State Route 729. Damage on the east side of Hornbeam Road included a horse trailer that was picked up and carried about 100 feet. Numerous trees were also snapped on this same property. The tornado then traveled northeast across open and harvested fields until arriving at Greenfield-Sabina Road, approximately three-fourths of a mile northwest of the intersection with Snow Hill Road. Damage on the east side of the road included damage to a metal roof and a wall of a livestock barn. There was also roof and siding damage to two residences nearby. The concentrated damage path appeared to end just past this location in far western Fayette County.
Along the path of the tornado, several trees were snapped and several structures lost parts or all of their roofs. The heaviest damage occurred to a large storage facility which suffered major roof loss and total collapse of the northern half of the structure. On the western edge of Washington Court House there was roof damage to two businesses in addition to tree damage. This damage is consistent with winds around 85 miles per hour.
A porch roof was damaged due to damaging thunderstorm winds. Structural damage also occurred to the walls and main roof of the house due to the winds.
A large tree was reported down on a house due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Six power poles were snapped due to damaging thunderstorm winds. Trees and outbuildings were also damaged by the thunderstorm winds.
A building collapsed and trees were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
The tornado touched down near Gullick Road where a small outbuilding was destroyed with debris strewn across Gullick Road and into adjacent fields. The tornado then hit several barns and outbuildings on Matville Road where one building was destroyed and significant roofing was torn off of another. The tornado crossed Hudson Road where more debris from a heavily damaged barn was strewn across Hudson Road and into adjacent fields. The tornado lifted before reaching Graham Road. Small debris was noted scattered in the fields on the west side of Graham Road. This damage is consistent with wind speeds near 85 miles per hour.
Large tree limbs were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
A brief tornado touched down near Bixby Road between Walden Trace and Hickory Grove Circle. The tornado struck two barns. Both barns were totally destroyed with damage blown into a nearby field. Another nearby barn lost almost all of the roof. Damage is indicative of wind speeds around 70 miles per hour.
Trees and large tree limbs were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Large tree limbs were reported down over a roadway due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
A brief tornado touched down just southwest of a subdivision and moved through part of the subdivision before lifting. Several large trees were snapped off due to the tornado. In addition, there was minor structural damage to several homes including windows blown out, roofing material removed, and chimney damage. The damage is consistent with wind speeds around 80 miles per hour.
A tractor trailer was blown over due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Large tree limbs were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Large tree limbs were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Power lines were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Large tree limbs were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Ohio, 2010Warnings in Ohio, October 2010
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 258976, 258983, 258992, 259898, 259899, 259761, 258990, 258993, 258987, 259900, 258999, 258995, 259003, 259005, 258997, 258996, 259001, 259002, 259004, 259017, 259021, 259023, 259022, 259075, 259024, 259026, 259019, 259020, 259834, 259897, 259820, 259050, 259036, 259047, 259044, 259763, 259055, 259764, 259040, 259033, and more.